A question we get asked all the time; do we really need to back-up our data if we are using Microsoft 365?
What is a Back-Up?
A back-up is a copy of important data or files that you create and store in a separate location to protect against the loss of the original data. The underlying purpose of having a backups is to have a way to recover your data if the original data is lost, damaged, or destroyed.
Back-ups can be created automatically, and they can be stored in various locations, such as external hard drives, cloud storage services, or on physical media.
Back-ups are an essential part of data protection and helps ensure that you can recover important data in the event of a disaster, hardware failure, or accidental deletion or even cyber-attack.
What is Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 is a cloud-based subscription service that offers a suite of productivity applications and services developed by Microsoft. It is the successor to the previous versions of Microsoft Office, but with added features and capabilities that are enabled by cloud technology.
Microsoft 365 includes popular applications like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, as well as newer applications like Teams, OneDrive, and SharePoint. It also provides cloud-based storage and collaboration services that allow users to work on documents and projects from any device and location.
In addition, Microsoft 365 offers advanced security features, such as threat protection, information protection, and identity and access management, to help protect users from cyber threats and ensure data privacy. Microsoft 365 is available in various subscription plans that cater to different needs and requirements of businesses, organisations, and individuals.
While Office 365 provides many built-in data protection and security features, the question remains whether back-up for 365 is required or not.
Are Back-Ups really necessary for Microsoft 365?
In short, the answer is yes. It is always recommended to have a backup of your critical data, and this applies to Office 365 as well. Here are some reasons why:
Accidental deletion or corruption of data: Despite having robust security measures in place, it is still possible for data to be accidentally deleted or corrupted. While Office 365 offers some level of protection against this, it is not foolproof. Having a backup of your data ensures that you can recover it quickly in the event of such a mishap.
Compliance requirements: Many industries have compliance requirements that mandate data retention policies. Having a back-up of your Office 365 data ensures that you can meet these requirements.
Ransomware attacks: Ransomware attacks are becoming more prevalent, and they can encrypt your data and hold it hostage. Having a back-up of your Office 365 data ensures that you can restore your data without having to pay a ransom.
Long-term data retention: Office 365 offers a limited retention period for deleted items, which may not be sufficient for some businesses. Having a backup of your data ensures that you can retain it for as long as you need to.
Limited recovery options: While Office 365 offers some recovery options, they may not be sufficient for all situations. Having a backup of your data gives you more flexibility and control over the recovery process.
In conclusion, while Office 365 offers many built-in data protection and security features, having a backup of your data is still necessary. It provides an added layer of protection and ensures that you can recover your data quickly and easily in the event of a mishap. Therefore, it is always recommended to have a back-up strategy in place for your Office 365 data.
Contact us at www.norfolkcs.co.uk or 01953 857980 for a free audit and friendly discussion on how we can help.